Java, South Ossetia

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Java

| native_name = ჯავა
Дзау

| native_name_lang = geo

| settlement_type = Town

| image_skyline = Russian Military Base in Java 01.jpg

| image_caption = A Russian military base in Java in 2008

| imagesize = 250px

| pushpin_map = South Ossetia#Georgia (country)#Shida Kartli

| mapsize = 280px

| map_caption = Location of Java in South Ossetia##Location of Java in Georgia##Location of Java in Shida Kartli

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flag|Georgia}}

| subdivision_type1 = De facto state

| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|South Ossetia}}{{South Ossetia-note}}

| subdivision_type2 = Mkhare

| subdivision_name2 = Shida Kartli

| subdivision_type3 = District

| subdivision_name3 = Dzau

| area_total_km2 =

| area_land_km2 =

| area_water_km2 =

| population_as_of =

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 1,500

| population_metro =

| population_density_km2 =

| timezone = Georgian Time

| utc_offset = +4

| timezone_DST =

| utc_offset_DST = +5

| coordinates = {{coord|42|23|25|N|43|55|25|E|region:GE|display=inline,title}}

| website =

| footnotes =

| elevation_m = 1040

| pushpin_relief = y

| module = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=14|frame-height=260 | stroke-width=1 |coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}

}}

Java or Dzau ({{lang-ka|ჯავა}} {{IPA|ka|dʒava||Java.ogg}}; {{langx|os|Дзау}}, Dzaw; {{langx|ru|Джава}} Dzhava) is a town of approximately 1,500 people in the disputed de facto independent Republic of South Ossetia, internationally considered part of Shida Kartli, Georgia (except by the Russian Federation and four other UN member states). According to Georgia's current official administrative division, Java is a main town of Java district in the north of Shida Kartli region. According to the South Ossetian side Dzau is an administrative center of Dzau district. The town is situated on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, within the Greater Liakhvi Gorge, {{convert|1040|m|0|abbr=on}} above sea level.

Java is the second largest urban settlement in South Ossetia, after Tskhinvali. It is located outside the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe-defined boundaries of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone – an area within a 15-km radius of Tskhinvali.[http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UNTC/UNPAN019224.pdf GEORGIA: AVOIDING WAR IN SOUTH OSSETIA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630224302/http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UNTC/UNPAN019224.pdf |date=2007-06-30 }}, p. 4. International Crisis Group Europe Report N°159. 26 November 2004[http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=19435 New Agreement in Force]. Civil Georgia. 8 September 2008[http://www.assemblee-ueo.org/en/documents/sessions_ordinaires/rpt/2008/2029.pdf?PHPSESSID=c5c9e0ec398a3f33f6ddef840036e19a European security after the war in Georgia]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, p. 9. European Security and Defence Assembly Assembly of WEU. 4 December 2008

The town played a major role in the Russo-Georgian War, with most of the South Ossetian military forces being located there{{Cite web|url=http://cast.ru/eng/?id=328|title=Main Page|website=cast.ru}} at the time of the Georgian offensive. During the Battle of Tskhinvali, the government of South Ossetia relocated to Java.

Georgia had accused the Russian military of building a large military base in Java before the war. These concerns were brought by the President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, to the attention of the UN General Assembly on September 26, 2007.[http://www.civil.ge/eng/detail.php?id=15884 Saakashvili Attacks Russia in UN Speech]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Civil Georgia. September 26, 2007. After the war, Russia announced it was constructing military bases in Java and Tskhinvali, which would be ready in 2010.{{cn|date=March 2023}}